MK (Machane Tzioni) Zouheir Bahloul has come under fire after declaring he Arab terrorist who stabbed soldiers in Hebron on Purim was not a terrorist at all because his target was “soldiers of the occupying force, not civilians”.

Despite eliciting the anger of many taking part in the Shabbos cultural event in Akko including another panelist, Likud MK Avi Dichter, Bahloul compared the situation with the fighters of the Haganah, Lechi and Irgun during the British Mandate period, explaining they took to the streets and attacked British military personnel in the ongoing effort to gain independence, asking why the Palestinians cannot do the same.

Additionally, Bahloul stated both Ehud Barak and Tzipi Livni in the past made similar remarks yet they did not come under fire.

Dichter, who was seated near Bahloul, cited his remarks are quite dangerous. He explained Barak stated “If I were a Palestinian I would be a terrorist” and that Livni stated in the past “Even before we became one party, not everyone fighting against soldiers in opposition to the occupation was considered a terrorist”.

Bahloul remained firm in his position, adding that anyone entering a building where women and children are sleeping and killing them is an occupation force in his eyes and the eyes of Palestinians. “We suffered under the yolk of occupation for 49 years” he stated, insisting the IDF soldiers represent the occupation.

Dichter warned of the severity of his remarks and questioned why he refers to Israel as “your state”, to which Bahloul responded “This is a state of Jews and not Arabs”.

Dichter added, “After all, you wouldn’t dare to make such a statement in the Egyptian, American, or French parliaments nor Ramallah and Jordan.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)